Massage apparatus for improving the hearing



INVENTOR LA/z ATTORNEY J. S. LEACH.

MASSAGE APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING THE HEARING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.H, 19I9- Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

tjase alw leaafi/ UNITED siATE s PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH S. LEACH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MASSAGE APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING THE HEARING.

Be it known that I, JosErH S. LEACH, a SLllOJGCt oi the lung of Great Britain, and a .resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Apparatus for Improving the Hearing, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to massage apparatus as employed in the treatment of certain affections of the ear, for example apparatus of the type disclosed in U. S Patent No. 8017 15, granted October 10th, 1905, to E. W. Schneider. i

The invention has for its object, in apparatus of this character, to simplify the adjustment of the contact making and breaking mechanism employed therein to respec tively complete and interrupt the flow of electricity through the electromagnets for causing vibration of the diaphragm and to permit of such adjustment without disturbing, to any appreciable extent, the amplitude of vibration of the diaphragm or the intensity of the magnetic attraction thereon. Heretofore, it has been proposed to effect the adjustment by rotating the diaphragm holding cap or cover, thus simultaneously with the change of pitch changing the amplitude of vibration of said diaphragm as well as the intensity of the attraction of the electromagnets thereon. In accordance with the present invention, the proper distance between the poles of the electromagnet and the diaphragm having once been accurately de termined, the relative positions of same are fixed and the rate of vibration altered in manner hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the apparatus casing, and shows the adjusting lever employed for varying the pitch of the sound emitted by the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the interior of the apparatus, the cover thereof having been removed.

Fig. 1 is a section taken on the line 4.4:, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the mecha- Specification of- Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 11', 1921.

1919. Serial No. 289,299.

nism is shown as inclosed within a suitable casing, as for example the casing 10, having a removable cover 11 screwed thereon in well-known manner, said cover retaining, also, a diaphragm 12 which is preferably of a disk of mica or the like. A centrally located aperture 13 is provided in the cap, through which the sound waves emitted by the said diaphragm may be propagated; and the top of the cap is suitably shaped to con form to the ear. Diaphragm 12 carries at its center a disk of soft iron constituting an armature 14 designed to be alternately attracted and released under the influence of the magnetism of pole pieces 15 of suitable electromagnets 16. Electromagnets 16 are secured to a yoke 17 fastened in any convenient manner to the bottom of the casing 10. Current to energize these magnets is introduced through suitable conductors 18 entering the casing, one of same being grounded thereto as at 19. The other conductor is connected to one terminal of the electromagnets whose remaining terminal is connected to the contact making and breaking device hereinafter described, and through which the current returns to the casing to complete the circuit.

The make and break for the current is not effected in the usual manner through the direct action of the armature which, in this case, would be the diaphragm or rather disk 14: thereof, but is effected by mechanical engagement of the latter with a lever 20 pivoted to the casing and bearing against said disk 14. One end of this lever bears constantly against the disk 14: or rather an insulated portion 21 thereof, while the other end, which is in the nature of a spring contact member 22, bears normally upon the inner end of an adjustable contact screw 23. A spring 2 1- is designed to insure contact of member 22 with the screw 23 as well as the engagement of the lever 20 with the portion 21 of the disk. In order to reduce sparking at the point of contact to a minimum, a condenser 25 is shunted across the same.

The operation of the device is as follows. Current entering from one of the conductors 18, grounded to the casing 10, will flow through the screw 23 to the contact member 22, which is normally closed, through the electromagnets, returning by the other conductor 18 to complete the circuit and energize the electromagnets, This will cause the diaphragm to be drawn inwardly toward the pole pieces 15, and, in so doing, will move lever 20 to lift the contact member 22 olf the screw 23 and interrupt the current, permitting the diaphragm to return to its normal position or rather somewhat beyond same; whereupon, the contact between member 22 and screw 23 is restored, and the cycle of operation is repeated.

To vary the rate of this vibration, and thereby the pitch of the sound emitted by the diaphragm, the contact screw or stud 23 is made to rotate with reference to the casing 10, as for example by being threaded therein, as shown. The screw 23 projects through the back of the casing 10, and a handle 26 is secured thereon as by means of a split nut 27 and screw 28. The handle 26 is designed to move over a suitably graduated scale 29 on the back of the casing, representing different degrees of pitch of the sound emitted. A coil spring 30, interposed between the back of the casing 10 and the underface of nut 27 provides the desired tension on the arm. a

I claim:

In a device of the kind described, the combination of a casing, an electromagnet therein, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adapted to be actuated by the electromagnet, a vibratory contact arm in said circuit and arranged to be vibrated by the diaphragm, a screw threaded into the casing and having its inner end normally contacting with the contact arm, and an arm connected to the end of the screw outside the casing to rotate the same relatively to the said casing and cooperating with a suitable scale thereon.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 4th day of April, A. D. 1919.

' JOSEPH S. LEACH. 

